Next week not only brings the NHL Awards and 2023 Entry Draft, it also marks the deadline in which teams need to qualify their restricted free agents. If they opt to not qualify a player, he becomes an unrestricted free agent.
For those unfamiliar with the overall process, let’s break the contract process down into the four most basic stages:
Entry Level Contract – These are typically three years in nature and come with a largely predetermined salary. Players on these deals earn around $70K per season while in the AHL/ECHL and just under $1M if they’re in the NHL. Depending on the age of the player when they sign the contract, an ELC is sometimes only for one or two years; this usually happens with older players coming out of college and/or coming over from Europe.
Restricted Free Agent – Coming off a player’s ELC, they typically have several years of restricted free agency. During this period, teams can ‘qualify’ them for the following year (assuming a player doesn’t already have a contract), which again, happens at a predetermined rate that has already been negotiated in the CBA. For most RFAs, this is a 5 or 10% increase in their base salary. If a player has any type of leverage, they can try and negotiate a multi-year deal that may be more beneficial to them. Those contracts are often referred to as ‘bridge deals.’
Restricted Free Agent with Arbitration Rights – Just like an RFA, teams have the ability to qualify these players with a slight bump in pay for the following season. However, when a player has arbitration rights, they can file to have an arbitrator hear their case and decide their contract for the next season. Teams also have the right to file for arbitration if they feel the mandated qualifying amount (increase) for the following season is too high, given the players performance. The latter is a bit more rare, although it is happening in New Jersey this summer with Timo Meier. Most teams and players try to avoid the arbitration process, as it’s often contentious and leaves bitter feelings on both sides. In the case of the Kings, their only player with arbitration rights this summer is Gabe Vilardi (more on him below).
Unrestricted Free Agents – Players can reach this status a variety of ways. However, as a UFA, a player is free to sign with any club he wants for any length of time. The only real restriction is that the dollar amount can’t be lower than the league minimum. As an example, the league minimum last season was $750,000.
One other footnote to all of this contract talk is the number 50. That is the maximum allowable contracts an NHL team can have at any one time. This limit includes all players, period – including guys in the NHL, AHL, ECHL, and even prospects that are playing in junior hockey. Typically, a team will only have around 48 players under contract, leaving a little wiggle room should a trade or other need arise.
LA Kings 2023 Restricted Free Agents
(listed alphabetically by position)
Goaltenders
David Hrenak – He’s signed to play in Europe next season and is not expected back with the Kings. By not qualifying him, they will lose all rights to him moving forward.
Goalie David Hrenak has signed a 2yr contract to play in the top Czech league.
The now former LA Kings prospect was on a 1yr ELC, playing in ECHL/AHL this past season. Previously, was No. 1 guy at St Cloud.
He'll go down as an all-time @kingsofthepod LEGEND. Incredible guest. pic.twitter.com/o6r6gvcnNW
— The Mayor | Team MM (@mayorNHL) June 9, 2023
Jacob Ingham – The 23-year-old netminder is 6-foot-5. And if you listened to goalie expert Bill Ranford talk about size on Kings Of The Podcast recently, you can easily connect the dots to why the Kings will likely resign Ingham. He was previously ranked as the No. 1 goaltending prospect in the LA pipeline. Despite missing all of last season following back surgery, we’re expecting GM Rob Blake and staff to want to see how he rebounds next season. It’s a smart gamble.
Ingham Qualifying Offer: $787,500
Matt Vilalta – Through a variety of circumstances that were sometimes beyond his control (i.e. Pheonix Copley getting the bulk of playing time in Ontario early, followed by Cal Petersen being sent down in December), last season didn’t do much to elevate Villalta’s stock. Limited to just 22 appearances, the 24-year-old netminder posted a 12-8-1 record with a .910 save percentage; his best as a pro. Even so, the question has to be, what’s the long-term plan with Villalta? Copley has seemingly jumped him on the depth chart and will most likely be the backup in LA. Recently acquired Erik Portillo is the presumed started for Reign coach Marco Sturm. Where does that leave Villalta? Probably on the outside looking in. They could always qualify and sign him for one more year until the overall goaltending situation sorts itself out, yet that doesn’t seem like where things are headed at the moment.
Vilalta Qualifying Offer: $826,825
Defensemen
Tobias Bjornfot – Young Toby stands alone on the blueline here. After playing more games than any other defenseman on the Kings NHL roster in 2021-22, last season saw the Swede limited to just 10 games with the big club, largely in spot duty due to injuries. With 2023-24 nearly upon us, Bjornfot finds himself in a completely different position. He’s now out of his waiver exemption period and would need to be exposed to all other NHL teams before being sent down to Ontario again. As a former first round draft pick, that would be a waste of an asset and highly unlikely. Currently, Bjornfot is penciled in on the Kings opening night roster for October. There could always be a trade in the weeks ahead, yet that could severely limit any balance among coach Todd McLellan’s defensive pairs. As one of the very few young left shot defenders in the Kings pipeline, Bjornfot is considered a lock to be qualified and re-signed (again, absent a trade). As an extra tidbit, Bjornfot has worn a letter for both Team Sweden and the Ontario Reign.
Bjornfot Qualifying Offer: $787, 500
Forwards
Jaret Anderson-Dolan – He’s in a very similar situation to Bjornfot. He’s bided his time in the AHL and now it’s time to grab an NHL job. Last season, he was essentially the 13th forward for McLellan, suiting up in 46 NHL games. His seven goals over that stretch proves he’s more than capable, even if those numbers aren’t quite as efficient as he was a few years ago when JAD put up the same seven goals in just 34 GP. He plays a safe two-way game and has natural leadership qualities. While we expect him back next season, there are two things working against him: (a) the Kings have one too many forwards right now when projecting their opening night lineup and (b) he is arbitration eligible.
Anderson-Dolan Qualifying Offer: $787,500
Lias Andersson – Rumors are he’ll be signing with HV71 in Sweden. If true, it makes sense on many levels. For starters, that was the club that helped develop Andersson in his younger years, before he was drafted by the Rangers and made his way to North America. A former first round selection by New York, Andersson has a lot of tools that excite hockey coaches and general managers. Last season in AHL Ontario, the 24-year-old forward recorded 31 goals and 59 points in 67 games. The problem is, in 44 games with the Kings over the past few seasons, he managed just three goals. There’s also some bite to his game, which only adds to the intrigue. However, at this stage of the game, he would likely be targeted for the AHL once again. He’s a solid depth player for the Kings, yet he can make more money and play a bigger role overseas. The likelihood he returns is less than 25%. Perhaps the best thing for him would be to not get qualified (making him a UFA) and he can explore hooking on with another team. Again, though, they’d likely need to promise him an NHL job to trump any offer he gets back home.
Andersson Qualifying Offer: $787,500
Sammy Fagemo – One of several Kings prospects who are now out of waivers and need to be on the NHL roster for opening night or be exposed to waivers. The Kings have invested quite a bit of time, energy, and effort into Fagemo’s development. Now is not the time to abandon ship or play games. He’ll be qualified and then they’ll have to find a way to squeeze him into one of the 14 spots at forward.
Fagemo Qualifying Offer: $787,500
VIDEO: Hoven on Kings Intermission Report via Bally Sports West
Rasmus Kupari – He’s one year ahead of Fagemo in the ‘develop and graduate to the NHL’ cycle. Out of waivers, Kupari was a serviceable fourth-line forward for McLellan last season. He’ll be qualified. And as Mark Yannetti recently said when talking about Kupari on Kings Of The Podcast, this next season is pivotal for his future.
Kupari Qualifying Offer: $874,125
Zack MacEwen – Sure, the Kings lack sandpaper. Did MacEwen show enough after being acquired at the Trade Deadline in March? Probably not. He’s questionable, at best, for a qualifying offer. His fate will most likely be determined by what Blake is able to accomplish via trade while in Nashville for the Draft next week. If he’s qualified, there’s still no guarantee he makes the opening night roster.
MacEwen Qualifying Offer: $971,250
Gabe Vilardi – He will be qualified, book it. Where things go after that will be very interesting, as he is the one player among all of LA’s RFAs who has arbitration rights. We don’t get the sense the team has much of an appetite to go to arbitration. Ideally, he’d take a one-year, low money offer like Mikey Anderson did last summer — that would really help Blake and the Kings out from a cap standpoint. If that’s not in the cards, we see a two-year bridge deal being worked out.
Other RFAs: Aidan Dudas, Tyler Madden, Akil Thomas — We’re hearing Thomas will be qualified. He put up 8 points in 13 games, in what was expected to be a huge breakout season, before having to shut everything down due to surgery. He’s a leader and we’re expecting him to be given every opportunity to show the club he’s ready to contribute. Thomas has been back skating for quite some time and is eager to take the next step in his professional development. Dudas and Madden are considered possibilities for qualifying offers, yet the final decision will likely come down to how many guys the Kings have under contract coming out of the Draft. Madden can score, but he just hasn’t defined his role yet in Ontario. Dudas is a versatile forward who has shown growth in his game over the past two years.
For a preview of how this all likely plays out and how much cap space the Kings will have to sign a goalie, be sure to check out this article:
June Update: LA Kings 2023-24 Roster and Salary Cap Situation; Plus Goaltending Notes
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If Vilardi pulled a Mikey Anderson to help Blake stay under the cap and get a goalie, that would be a bigger demonstration of commitment to the team than Dean Lombardi’s old bit about having the team logo tattooed on your backside.
You brought up the Kings lacking sandpaper with Yannetti on your podcast. I totally agree with you. Were you let down with his response? I sure was. I took his reply as it’s not an issue for them (scouts) with the Kings being soft. Even though they’ve been run over by the Oilers the last two playoffs. And I don’t see that changing. That was my take anyway.
Good show,